GILROY
– If the county doesn’t get a $3 million check from the state
this week, it will mark the 10th consecutive quarter in which sales
tax revenue failed to reach the levels that transportation
officials had budgeted.
GILROY – If the county doesn’t get a $3 million check from the state this week, it will mark the 10th consecutive quarter in which sales tax revenue failed to reach the levels that transportation officials had budgeted.
The series of shortfalls are dwindling Measure B reserves, jeopardizing chances that leftover money will be used to finish the Highway 152 widening project near Gilroy Foods, Program Administrator Jeff Davis says. Measure B is the county’s billion-dollar transit improvement program aimed at improving and expanding highway and rail services in Santa Clara County.
“This is not going to make or break anything, but certainly the more we don’t meet revenue targets, the more we eat away at potential savings,” Davis said.
Those savings are important because hopes are to use leftover Measure B revenues to fund some projects – such as Gilroy’s Highway 152 widening – that could not be completed.
Measure B funds have been used to add lanes to U.S. 101 and improve on-ramp and off-ramp access at the U.S. 101 and Highway 152 interchange. However, a lack of money has caused plans to widen Highway 152 further and install a stoplight at a dangerous curve in front of Gilroy Foods to stop short.
Davis would not disclose how much money the county may have left over when the Transportation Improvement Program ends in June 2006. However, Davis said he would announce estimates in June 2004 when more information on sales tax revenue becomes available.
The county Board of Supervisors will have to prioritize which projects get funds first.
“If today (were) June, I would not be recommending moving forward with (the 152 widening) project,” Davis said.
In a separate but related matter, the county will use $30,000 to promote public awareness in the San Jose Mercury News, The Dispatch and other publications. The county will publish a letter to taxpayers explaining Measure B, which was approved by voters in 1996.
Davis said reasons for the public awareness effort are twofold.
A recent survey by the Silicon Valley Manufacturing Group – a high-profile, quality-of-life lobbying organization – revealed that just more than 40 percent of Silicon Valley residents knew about Measure B and its projects.
Davis called the results of that survey “embarrassing news.”
The second reason for the ad campaign is to attract new members to serve on a committee that watchdogs Measure B spending.
